Radha Krishna - Chapter 21: The Gopîs Glorify the Song of Krishna's Flute

(1) S'rî S'uka said: 'Thus entered Acyuta with the cows and gopas the place that was cooled by the breezes sweet of the fragrance from the lotus filled lakes with their waters pellucid from the season of fall. (2) While He, roaming the lakes, rivers and hills, was tending the animals in the company of Balarâma and the cowherd boys, played the Sweet Lord between the blooming trees His flute vibrating along with the maddened bees and flocks of birds. (3) Of the ladies of Vraja who heard the song of the flute, which brought to mind the flourishing [of all existence], revealed some in confidence to their intimates what their thoughts were about Krishna. (4) Commencing with that description were they, remembering all that Krishna did and getting excited in rapt attention, no longer capable of proceeding, o ruler of man.

(5) With a peacock feather on His head, with the body of the best of dancers, a blue karnikâra lotus behind His ears, wearing golden, yellow colored garments and [decorated] with the vaijayantî garland ['of victory' with flowers of five different colors], filled He the holes of His flute with the nectar from His lips while He, with His glories being sung by the group of cowherds, entered the forest of Vrindâvana that was so enchanting because of His footprints. (6) O King, hearing the sound of the flute which captivates the minds of all living beings, embraced all the women of Vraja each other as they were describing Him.

(7) The gopîs said: 'O friends, we who have eyes know of no greater achievement than this: to imbibe the loving glances radiating from the faces of the two sons of the king of Vraja as They play on Their flutes and with Their mates drive the cows before them from one forest to another. (8) With the mango sprouts, peacock feathers, garlands of flower buds, lotuses and lilies in combination with the colorful garments They dress up with, shine the two magnificently forth in the midst of the cowherd boys, just like two expert dancers on a stage now and then singing. (9) O gopîs, how meritorious must the deeds have been of this flute of Krishna just to enjoy on its own the taste left behind by the nectar of the lips to which the gopîs are entitled. His forefathers the bamboo trees are shedding tears of joy just like the river [where they grew] with her wealth is full of joy [shedding tears of honey from her lotuses]. (10) Vrindâvana, o friends, adds to the glories of the earth having received the treasure of the lotus feet of the son of Devakî. To that maddens the sound of Govinda's flute the peacocks, whose dance stuns all other creatures looking down from the hillsides. (11) How fortunate are the doe who, however ignorantly they were born, in hearing the sound of the flute of the so very nicely dressed son of Nanda, with their affectionate glances performed worship in the company of their black husbands. (12) For all women is it a festival to observe Krishna with His beauty and character and to hear the clear song of His flute. Of the wives of the gods of heaven flying around in their heavenly vehicles slip, agitated and bewildered as they are by the thought of Him, the flowers they tied in their hair and slacken their belts. (13) The cows raise their ears high to catch in those vessels the nectar of the sounds emitted by Krishna with His mouth to the flute. The calves, with mouths full of the milk that exuded from the udders, stand silently with in their eyes and minds Govinda who touches them and fills their eyes with tears. (14) O mothers, for sure are the birds in the forest [as] great sages out there to see Krishna. Rising to the branches of the trees with all their wealth of creepers and twigs, hear they with their eyes closed the sweet vibrations of the flute that silences the rest. (15) The [female] rivers when they hear that song of Krishna, run because of their minds steeped in love in whirlpools with their currents broken. Seizing and holding firm in the embrace of their wavy arms the two feet of Murâri, carry they to them offerings of lotus flowers. (16) Seeing in the heat of the sun Him all the time loudly playing His flute as He was herding Vraja's animals together with Râma and the gopas, expanded out of the love of friendship a cloud high to create with its body a parasol with great numbers of [cool droplets descending like] flowers. (17) The women of the Pulindya tribe [the aboriginal people of Vraja] find full satisfaction with the lotus feet of the Lord Glorified by the Great, when they, seeing its reddish kunkuma sticking to the grass that before decorated the breasts of His girlfriends, pained by the very thought, are in the position to overcome that pain by smearing the powder on their breasts and faces. (18) And oh, this hill [Govardhana], o friends, is the Lord His best servant because it, from the touch of the lotus feet of Krishna and Râma, is jubilant of respect with offers of drinking water, tender grass and edible roots for the cows, the calves and the cowtenders. (19) Wondrously are, with Their in all freedom together with the cowherd boys leading the cows to each place in the forest, by the vibrations of the flute its sweet tones, o friends, of the living entities the ones that can move stunned and the otherwise immobile trees stirred to ecstasy by the two of Them, They who can be recognized by the ropes [*] They have for binding the rear legs of the cows.'

(20) This way picturing one another the pastimes of the Supreme Lord wandering around in Vrindâvana, became the gopîs fully absorbed by Him.'